The cargo ship Maria Francisca has entered the Port of Vigo in Spain after suffering significant container damage during severe winter weather off the Portuguese coast, leaving several boxes crushed and others hanging over the vessel’s side.

The 30,000-dwt vessel arrived in Vigo at around 2130 hours on Thursday, January 15, after encountering heavy seas overnight while sailing south of Aveiro, Portugal.

The ship had departed Lisbon on January 14 and was operating along the Iberian coast when it was caught in rough winter conditions.

Authorities were informed that the vessel experienced heavy swells and developed a list during the storm, with indications that it may have been affected by a dangerous motion known as parametric rolling.

During the incident, containers carrying granite, cocoa and palm oil reportedly shifted on deck.

An unspecified number of containers were lost overboard, while others collapsed in what appeared to be two midship stacks.

On arrival, two rows of containers were seen toppled over, with several boxes crushed and suspended over the ship’s side.

The Port Authority of Vigo coordinated the vessel’s arrival, describing a carefully managed operation due to the damaged cargo.

Two tugboats escorted the ship to the entrance of the estuary, with a pilot embarked to assist with navigation.

A helicopter and the Coast Guard vessel Valentín Paz de Andrade were also involved to ensure safety, while anti-pollution barriers were deployed as a precautionary measure.

Despite the damage, the Maria Francisca was successfully berthed without further incident.

Port officials confirmed that no crew members were injured and no pollution was detected during the operation.

Work is now underway to assess the condition of the collapsed containers and to plan a safe operation for their relocation and removal.

The vessel is also expected to undergo a technical inspection, along with checks by insurers, to determine the extent of the damage and any further actions required.

The Maria Francisca, which is managed by Germany-based Held Shipping, remains alongside in Vigo.

Built in 2004, the 192-metre-long vessel is registered in Portugal and has a container capacity of 1,829 TEUs, including 150 refrigerated units, with up to 786 containers carried on deck.

References: Indexbox, balitangmarino